Elena

Elena is part of the El Almedral communal bank located in the town of Peñalolén, city of Santiago. She has worked in the area of hairdressing for three years. She took some specialized courses, which allowed her to improve herself and launch her business, specifically in haircuts, hairstyles, and dyes.

Elena performs her hairdressing duties from Monday through Friday, and she arranges her schedule according to her availability, since her children are young and it is she who goes to the homes of her different customers. She buys her merchandise from a distributor that specializes in selling hair products. One of Elena's business goals is to have the opportunity to open a store as a beauty salon where she can see her customers.

With the loan she will buy a hair dryer, an electric razor, and scissors.

Elena lives with her husband and three children, ages 17, 9, and 8. Her personal dream is to give her family a better quality of life.

She is very happy and grateful for the opportunity that Fondo Esperanza has given her because it has allowed her to invest in her business. She also feels very comfortable with the other entrepreneurs in the communal bank group because they share different activities and interests, which also has served to distract her for a moment. With regard to the training given in the meetings, she has learned to run her business better.

Peñalolén is located in the east of the metropolitan area. It has various attractions such as vineyards, buildings considered part of the cultural heritage, and excursions to natural areas, elements that are changing this town into a new tourism scene within the metropolitan region.

Additional Information

About Fondo Esperanza

Fondo Esperanza (FE) is a private non-profit organization that supports entrepreneurship by providing micro-credit and training to people living in poverty in well over 100 cities throughout Chile. By providing these services, FE aims to improve the living conditions of the entrepreneurs and their families. In 2010, FE provided loans to more than 41,000 entrepreneurs. It utilizes a communal banking model in which groups of 18 to 25 clients meet on regularly and guarantee each other’s loans. The members use their portion of the loan to create or expand their own businesses. In the group meetings, clients receive training though the FE Entrepreneurship School, which enhances clients’ personal and business skills and ability to work in groups.